diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 8ee92e5..2a5a973 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -128,6 +128,12 @@ address.valid_strict_mx? => true
 address.subaddressed? => false
 ```
 
+If you want to allow multibyte characters, set it explicitly.
+
+```ruby
+ValidEmail2::Address.permitted_multibyte_characters_regex = /[ÆæØøÅåÄäÖöÞþÐð]/
+```
+
 ### Test environment
 
 If you are validating `mx` then your specs will fail without an internet connection.
diff --git a/lib/valid_email2/address.rb b/lib/valid_email2/address.rb
index 36facb3..aa9348c 100644
--- a/lib/valid_email2/address.rb
+++ b/lib/valid_email2/address.rb
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@
 require "valid_email2"
 require "resolv"
 require "mail"
-require "unicode/emoji"
 require "valid_email2/dns_records_cache"
 
 module ValidEmail2
@@ -22,6 +21,14 @@ def self.prohibited_domain_characters_regex=(val)
       @prohibited_domain_characters_regex = val
     end
 
+    def self.permitted_multibyte_characters_regex
+      @permitted_multibyte_characters_regex
+    end
+
+    def self.permitted_multibyte_characters_regex=(val)
+      @permitted_multibyte_characters_regex = val
+    end
+
     def initialize(address, dns_timeout = 5, dns_nameserver = nil)
       @parse_error = false
       @raw_address = address
@@ -34,7 +41,7 @@ def initialize(address, dns_timeout = 5, dns_nameserver = nil)
         @parse_error = true
       end
 
-      @parse_error ||= address_contain_emoticons?
+      @parse_error ||= address_contain_multibyte_characters?
     end
 
     def valid?
@@ -130,10 +137,12 @@ def mx_server_is_in?(domain_list)
       }
     end
 
-    def address_contain_emoticons?
+    def address_contain_multibyte_characters?
       return false if @raw_address.nil?
 
-      @raw_address.scan(Unicode::Emoji::REGEX).length >= 1
+      return false if @raw_address.ascii_only?
+
+      @raw_address.each_char.any? { |char| char.bytesize > 1 && char !~ self.class.permitted_multibyte_characters_regex }
     end
 
     def resolv_config
diff --git a/spec/address_spec.rb b/spec/address_spec.rb
index 0861857..7b713a0 100644
--- a/spec/address_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/address_spec.rb
@@ -34,9 +34,25 @@
       expect(address.valid?).to be false
     end
 
-    it "is valid if it contains special scandinavian characters" do
+    it "is invalid if it contains Japanese characters" do
+      address = described_class.new("あいうえお@example.com")
+      expect(address.valid?).to be false
+    end
+
+    it "is invalid if it contains special scandinavian characters" do
       address = described_class.new("jørgen@email.dk")
-      expect(address.valid?).to eq true
+      expect(address.valid?).to eq false
+    end
+
+    context "permitted_multibyte_characters_regex is set" do
+      before do
+        described_class.permitted_multibyte_characters_regex = /[ÆæØøÅåÄäÖöÞþÐð]/
+      end
+
+      it "is valid if it contains special scandinavian characters" do
+        address = described_class.new("jørgen@email.dk")
+        expect(address.valid?).to eq true
+      end
     end
   end
 
diff --git a/valid_email2.gemspec b/valid_email2.gemspec
index a8df0bc..b9e67a7 100644
--- a/valid_email2.gemspec
+++ b/valid_email2.gemspec
@@ -28,5 +28,4 @@ Gem::Specification.new do |spec|
   spec.add_development_dependency "pry"
   spec.add_runtime_dependency "mail", "~> 2.5"
   spec.add_runtime_dependency "activemodel", ">= 6.0"
-  spec.add_runtime_dependency "unicode-emoji", "~> 3.7.0"
 end